DIY Cocktailshttp://www.diy-cocktails.com
Thu, 26 Feb 2015 17:39:39 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.9.3Orange Creamsicle Cocktailhttp://www.diy-cocktails.com/2015/02/26/orange-creamsicle-cocktail/
http://www.diy-cocktails.com/2015/02/26/orange-creamsicle-cocktail/#commentsThu, 26 Feb 2015 17:39:39 +0000http://www.diy-cocktails.com/?p=1532Continue reading →]]>We’ve been enjoying some February sunshine here in California. But even if you’re in a blizzard, this Orange Creamsicle cocktail will give you a little taste of summer (with seasonal fruit). Savvy Housekeeping and I whipped up this cocktail that tastes like a light and sophisticated alcoholic Creamsicle. If only the ice cream man carried these.

Squeeze the orange juice. Combine juice, vodka, simple syrup, and vanilla in a cocktail shaker. Add ice. Add cream. Close and shake thoroughly. Strain into a glass and top with sparkling water to taste.

]]>http://www.diy-cocktails.com/2015/02/26/orange-creamsicle-cocktail/feed/0Meyer Lemon Margaritahttp://www.diy-cocktails.com/2015/02/22/meyer-lemon-mint-honey-margarita/
http://www.diy-cocktails.com/2015/02/22/meyer-lemon-mint-honey-margarita/#commentsSun, 22 Feb 2015 21:33:24 +0000http://www.diy-cocktails.com/?p=1527Continue reading →]]>Happy National Margarita Day! I’m not sure who started this holiday, but I’m positive I like the way it’s celebrated. This cocktail uses fresh Meyer lemons, mint and honey to bring a new twist to a beloved classic. This combo gives it a fresh taste that will certainly lift your spirits.

Muddle the mint and honey at the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add lemon and tequila, then shake with ice. Strain into cocktail glass (serve over ice if desired).

I used Casa Noble Crystal tequila. This tequila had a nice smooth quality that worked well with the lemon and honey, as a more peppery tequila would have distracted from the flavor combinations. You can use your favorite brand, but be sure it’s 100% agave tequila.

*Casa Noble provided me with tequila for review/recipe purposes. However, this is not an advertisement and they did not control the content of the post.

Beer can make an exciting and unexpected cocktail ingredient. Here are some creative ways to use that brew in the fridge (possibly leftover from a Super Bowl party?). Let’s do this!

Golden Ale Beer Cocktail ~ Honey, hot sauce and elderflower liqueur are a surprising addition to Belgian-style golden ale. A little citrus ties it all together into a balanced cocktail.

Sour Brew Margarita ~ Sour beer is pretty trendy right now, so it shouldn’t be hard to find. Use it as part of the sour portion of your margarita for a new twist on an old classic.

Beer Float ~ A good dark beer and some chocolate ice cream are definitely a match made in heaven. It’s simple and something you’ll wonder why you haven’t been doing all along. Suck it, root beer! Beer float!

Mango Shrub Michelada ~ The classic Michelada (spiced up beer with lime) gets kicked up a bit with a mango shrub. The added complexity turns the simple mixture into an elaborate cocktail concoction.

Grapefruit Moon ~ Grapefruit, bourbon, maple syrup and stout? Oh, yeah! Why haven’t we been mixing these together all along?

]]>http://www.diy-cocktails.com/2015/02/03/beer-cocktails/feed/0Persimmon Margaritahttp://www.diy-cocktails.com/2015/01/29/persimmon-margarita/
http://www.diy-cocktails.com/2015/01/29/persimmon-margarita/#commentsFri, 30 Jan 2015 01:37:42 +0000http://www.diy-cocktails.com/?p=1513Continue reading →]]>Around the corner from Savvy Housekeeping HQ, there were a bunch of free persimmons from a neighbor’s tree. When life gave us persimmons, we made persimmon margaritas! They’re tasty and a lot of fun (and in our case practically free).

We used Hachiya persimmons, which have to be totally soft and mushy to taste good at all. Fuyu persimmons are more common at the store and would also work great. Persimmon puree could also be used in cakes, breads and other cocktails. Get to it, persimmon style!

Peel the persimmons. Put the fruit in a cocktail shaker and smash to a pulp with a muddler. Add the rest of the ingredients and ice. Shake thoroughly until a frost begins to form outside the shaker, between 30-60 seconds. Strain into a glass.

When it comes to cocktails, mint is the king of the herbs. (And basil seems to be the queen?) But most other herbs are also fantastic in drinks! Thyme is a go-to herb for cooking, but it adds a surprising savory freshness to cocktails, too. Here are a few cocktail recipes that show off what thyme can do.

Pear Thyme Gin Fizz ~ Savory time with sweet, crisp pear pairs well with gin in this cocktail, but you could sub in vodka if that’s more your style.

Honey Thyme Bourbon Cocktail ~ This line-up of ingredients just screams out “winter drinking” to me. If I had a fireplace, I’d be sipping this by the fire right now.

Precious Thyme ~ Add thyme to Campari, limoncello, sweet vermouth and a little club soda, and you get a lovely highball that doesn’t go too heavy on the booze. It’s a great way to use homemade limoncello!

]]>http://www.diy-cocktails.com/2015/01/09/time-for-thyme-cocktails/feed/0DIY Limoncellohttp://www.diy-cocktails.com/2014/12/23/diy-limoncello/
http://www.diy-cocktails.com/2014/12/23/diy-limoncello/#commentsWed, 24 Dec 2014 03:42:31 +0000http://www.diy-cocktails.com/?p=1503Continue reading →]]>Lemons! What to do with them? Make limoncello, silly. It’s as easy as zesting lemons and waiting. I used Meyer lemons, which I much prefer. But you can use any kind of lemon you please.

If you can’t get a hold of of an Everclear 151-type alcohol, use the highest proof vodka available to you (80 proof is standard vodka, but there’s often 100 proof vodka available, too.).

Zest the lemons—no white pith. You can save the lemons themselves for another use. Steep the lemon zest and spirit in a glass container for a minimum of two weeks and up to three months. After steeping, bring the water and sugar to a boil and make simple syrup. Pour cooled simple syrup into lemon infusion. Let it rest for 24 hours. Strain out the lemon zest and then filter twice through a coffee filter. Refrigerate and let it rest for at least 24 hours.

Photo by Liam Boylan

The recipe I created and posted here was first published on Serious Eats

What punch should you make for your holiday party? Here is my official endorsement: Horse & Carriage! I made this last week and it was a hit. Gin, elderflower and champagne are an obvious (to me) combination, but what really made this punch stand out was the chamomile tea. It added complexity and sophistication to what otherwise could have been a bit of a one-note concoction. I wish I had made a double batch! (It went fast.)

I modified the recipe a bit from Saveur’s to include more sparkling wine. I think this is a big improvement on the flavor, with the added benefit of making a larger amount of punch. It didn’t taste very balanced the original way, in my humble opinion.

Put the citrus sugar and lemon juice in the punchbowl to dissolve the sugar. Place the ice block in the bowl and then pour in the rest of the ingredients.

Citrus sugar: In a food processor mix together 1/2 a cup of sugar with the zest of one lemon and the zest of one orange.

Ice block: Ideally, fill a loaf (or other shape) pan a quarter full and place seeds and citrus wheels in and then let that freeze. Repeat in layers so that they don’t all settle to the bottom and you get evenly distributed beauty. I did it a faster way which was to throw some seeds and citrus in, let it freeze partially, and then move it around in the slush so it was not all in one corner. It looks nice no matter what you do, but I bet Saveur didn’t take any shortcuts.

Cranberries are festive and beautiful … but super-duper sour, so people usually shy away unless a lot of sugar is involved. (You’re not exactly going to be snacking on a handful of them while you watch TV.) However, this tart berry is perfect for cocktails. Whether you still have some cranberries left from Thanksgiving or not, here are some striking and tasty cranberry drink recipes worth celebrating with.

Cranberry Gimlet ~ Another cranberry-inspired version of an old favorite, this Gimlet is just right for the holidays.

Cranberry Mint Julep ~ Well, I declare! Adding cranberry to a Mint Julep sounds like a great idea to me.

]]>http://www.diy-cocktails.com/2014/12/03/cranberry-cocktails/feed/2Gingerbread Toddyhttp://www.diy-cocktails.com/2014/11/19/gingerbread-hot-toddy/
http://www.diy-cocktails.com/2014/11/19/gingerbread-hot-toddy/#commentsWed, 19 Nov 2014 23:42:29 +0000http://www.diy-cocktails.com/?p=1485Continue reading →]]>It’s raining and fall coziness is in full effect. So Savvy Housekeeping and I made the perfect seasonal twist on the Hot Toddy—the Gingerbread Toddy. Made with a delicious gingerbread syrup, this warming cocktail tastes like real gingerbread. The syrup would also be good in other drinks like a Gingerbread Latte.